US immigration officials move to restrict asylum at border

by COLLEEN LONG , Associated Press

Thursday, November 8th 2018

Central American migrants begin their morning trek as part of a thousands-strong caravan hoping to reach the U.S. border, as they face the Pico de Orizaba volcano upon departure from Cordoba, Veracruz state, Mexico, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

They are intended to speed up rulings on asylum claims, instead of having migrants try to circumvent official crossings on the nearly 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border.

The move was spurred in part by caravans of Central American migrants walking toward the border. They are now about 600 miles (965 kilometers) away. President Donald Trump has vowed to stop them from entering the country.

The new rules are subject to a presidential proclamation expected Friday in which Trump will invoke the same justification he did for the travel ban. The new rules will almost certainly face court challenges.